Sewing-machine ruffler.



H. B. WOEHRLE.

SEWING MACHINE RUI'PLER.

ABPLIOATION FILED 111111.23, 1912.

Patented Nov. 24, 1914.

WITNESSES:

r d 5M A TTOBIVEY THE NORRIS PETERS c0. FHOTO-LITHO.. WASHINGTON. D4 c UNITED STATES Arnn FFICE.

HENRIETTE B. \VOEHRLE, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNUR TO THE SINGER MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

SEWING-MACHINE Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 24:, 1914.

Application filed March 23, 1912. Serial No. 885,793.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, HENRIETTE B. VVonnRLn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sewing-Machine Rufflers, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to an improvement in ruftling devices for sewing machines, and it has for its object to provide means whereby shirring in the body of the fabric may be reinforced to prevent its disarrangement in subsequent use, and also to provide means for insuring the parallelism of a series of spaced shirring seams.

The invention is preferably embodied in a ruffling attachment constructed with a frame comprising a foot portion and a shank adapted for attachment to the presser-bar of a sewing machine, and having a reciprocating ruilling blade connected with a forked operating lever embracing a stud carried by the sewing machine needle-bar. The shirring plate is sustained by a frame secured upon the sewing machine bed-plate, and is provided with a shirring blade formed with apertures extending through it in line with the notch in its forward edge embracing the needlepath, for the reception of a reinforcing tape or cord which is stitched upon the lower face of the fabric as the crimping and stitching progresses. The presserfoot shank has preferably secured thereto a transverse spring-socket to receive the sustaining rod of a seam gage adapted to follow each preceding shirring seam to insure uniformity of spacing therefrom of the succeeding seam.

The invention will be understood by reference to the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of the forward portion of a sewing machine provided with a. rattling device embodying the present invention; and 2 a similar View of the shirring plate and its holding frame, and representing a piece of narrow tape introduced within the guiding apertures of its blade. Fig. 3 is a face view of the shirring blade detached, and Fig. 4 is a view of the under side of a section of material provided with a reinforced shirring seam produced by the use of the ment.

The sewing machine bed-plate 1 is shown provided with the usual throat-plate 2 formed with the apertures 3 for the feeddog 1, and has also the usual slide-plate 5 abutting against the adjacent edge of the throat-plate. 1n the head 6 of the bracketarm is journaled the usual reciprocating needle-bar 7 provided with the needleclamp 8 having secured therein the needle 9 by means of a laterally projecting clamp-screw 10, only a portion of which latter is exposed in Fig. 1. 1n the head 6 is also fitted the Presser-bar 11 with reduced lower end 12 to receive the usual presser-foot.

As represented in Fig. 1, the ruflling attachment comprises a frame constructed with a presser-foot having the yielding pressure member 13 with a shank 14 adapted to be secured to the presser-bar by means of the clamp-screw 15. Upon the arm 16 of the ruiiier-frame is sustained the fulcrum-pin 17 upon which is mounted the operating lever 18 having the fork 19 embracing the needle-clamp screw 10. The lever 18 has a lip or shoulder 20 adapted for alternate engagement with the lateral seat 21 and the present improve- ,point of the screw carried by the lever 23 also journaled upon the fulcrum-pin 17 and connected at its lower end by means of the pivotal pin 2 1 with the rearward end of the slide-bar 25 suitably guided and having secured thereto by means of the rivets 26 the reciprocating ruiiling blade 27. The ruining-blade is formed with a center notch or aperture 27*, providing at each side thereof a fabric engaging member. The notched and apertured guide-plate 28, disposed above the rufiling blade, is sustained in position by means of the arm 29 secured to the presser-foot.

The substantially crescent-shaped frame plate 30 is provided at its extremities with depending lips 31 with inturned springarms 32 to afiord hooks which embrace the forward edge of the throat-plate 2 in interlocking relation with which they are maintained by the adjacent edge of the slide-plate 5, as represented in Fig. 1. The frame-plate 30 is formed with a lateral ear 30 to which is secured by means of rivets 33 one end of a shirring plate 34: having attached thereto by means of the rivets 35,

passing through holes 36 therein, the shirring blade 3? having in its opposite operative end the needle-clearance notch 38 and in alincinent with the latter the two guiding apertures 39, passing entirely through the same and disposed near its 01,- eratire or fabric engaging end so as to de liver the reintorce-strip close to and in register with the needle-path. The fabric-engaging members of the milling blade operate at opposite sides of the guiding apertures 39. The shirring plate ZS-l has the usual series of fabric-guiding slots 10 and 41 extending in opposite directions crossiee oi' the shirring blade 3?.

Secured to the presserdioot shank by means of the rivet is the plate l3 provided at one end with the arched spring socket-member TH: adapted to yieldingly sustain between its '1 and the n'esser-i oot shank the rod forming the stem of the gage-plate l6 adapted to be set with one extremity near the top of the fabric-supporting slide-plate for guiding the fabric in a shirring operation. The rod 5, being yieldingly clamped in position, is adapted to be readily turned and shifted endwise for adjustment of the gage-plate 46 w as desired.

Preparatory to a shirring operation, the strip 8 ol. reinforcing material is introduced beneath the plate 3- and threaded successively upwardly and (.lownwardly through the guide apertures S9 of the shirring blade and thence through the needle-clearance notch 8. The fabric 7' is then introduced between the rullling and shirrin blades and the shirring and stitching operation then performed, whereb i the strip .9 is secured by means of the line of stitches t upon the under face of the shirred fabric, as represented in Fig. 4. lVhen a succession of spaced and parallel shirring seains is desired, the gageplate e26 is set in required position, and the fabric is fed in a manner well known to cause the gage to follow the previously formed line oil stitching.

Having thus set forth the nature of the invention, what I claim herein is 1. In a willing attachment, the combination with the frame, a rufiling blade, and actuating means therefor, oi. a shiningplate cooperating with the milling blade, a shirring blade carried by said shirringplate and formed ith a needle-aperture and with two parallel slots intermediate said needle aperture and the shirrin g plate, the said slots haring walls adapted to maintain the center line of a reinforcing tape'in fixed relation to said needlo-aperture, and faln'ioengaging nicnibers carried by the .ru'l'l'ling blade to engage the fabric at oppo site sides of said slots.

In a willing attaclnnent, the combination with the frame, a ruliling blade and actuating means therefor, of a shirringplate cooperating with the milling blade, a shirring blade carried by said shining-plate and formed with a tape-guide slot adjacent its operative edge and with a parallel slot adjacent the shirring plate, the walls of said slots comprising means for preventing lateral movement of the tape, and fabric-engaging .incinbers carried by the ruliling blade to engage the fabric at opposite sides of said tape-guide slots.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HENRIETTE B. XVOEHRLE.

/Vitnesses HENRY J. MILLER, HENRY A. KQRNEMABN, Jr.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

